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Kobza – Bunny (1971)
- A folk-rock instrumental blending traditional Ukrainian music with progressive rock and jazz-rock elements.
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Vodohrai – Remembrance (late 1970s)
- A funky, Caribbean-influenced track from one of Ukraine’s top jazz musicians of the time.
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Vadym Khrapachov – Dance (1983)
- An electronic score from the iconic film Flights in Dreams and Reality, featuring the EMS Synthi 100.
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Tetiana Kocherhina – Play, the Violin, Play (Remix) (1980)
- A hypnotic disco remix of a traditional Ukrainian folk song by producer Kyrylo Stetsenko.
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Natalia Gura – Oh, How, How? (1987)
- A melancholic ballad transformed into a breakbeat, synth-forward jam.
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Krok – Breath of Night Kyiv (1980s)
- A mellow fusion track from Kyiv’s first "supergroup," mixing elements of electro-funk and jazz.
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Volodymyr Ivasyuk – Two Colors (1975)
- A haunting folk-rock anthem from one of Ukraine's most iconic composers and songwriters.
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Maksym Berezovsky – Winds of Change (1991)
- A soulful, jazz-infused composition, representing the spirit of Ukrainian independence.
This compilation captures Ukraine's evolving musical landscape, from subtly rebellious Soviet-era singles to DIY recordings from Kyiv’s underground, spanning rare folk, rock, jazz, and electronic tracks.
“This project has been a long time in the making,” says label owner Matt Sullivan. Over the last five years, Sullivan, alongside producers David Mas ("DBGO"), Mark "Frosty" McNeill, and Ukrainian label Shukai Records, painstakingly curated a chronological playlist. However, the evolving political climate—particularly the ongoing war—shaped the final tracklist, which originally included both Ukrainian and Russian artists. “We found ourselves facing a much larger political issue,” Sullivan explains. “What began as a broader look at a region’s underrepresented music scene quickly became a more focused, and sometimes controversial, project. We decided to highlight only Ukrainian music, and it’s truly humbling to finally share it with the world.”
The physical editions include insightful liner notes and track-by-track commentary from Kyiv-based filmmaker, DJ, and writer Vitalii "Bard" Bardetskyi. The 2xLP edition is housed in a stunning gatefold featuring beloved Ukrainian artist Maria Prymachenko's iconic folk art, with the vinyl pressed on Clear Blue Sky & Sunflower Yellow wax. The set also comes with a 20-page booklet filled with artist photos and notes in both English and Ukrainian. The CD edition includes bonus material, packaged in a deluxe 64-page hardbound book. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Livyj Bereh, a Kyiv-based volunteer group rebuilding war-affected areas in Ukraine.
In his liner notes, Bardetskyi writes, “Music has always lifted Ukrainians out of the abyss. Even in the darkest times, music brings hope, allowing the nation to resonate with a groove. Breaking through layers of oppression, it has been an incredible and often illogical way to preserve dignity.” The tracks on Even the Forest Hums—recorded during immense political upheaval—reflect this resilience, rooted in the universal desire to explore. From post-war teens seeking fresh sounds to artists experimenting with DIY technologies, Ukraine's music scene blossomed despite Soviet restrictions, though much of it has remained hidden to the outside world—until now.
During the Soviet era, music, like many commodities, was tightly regulated. Only state-approved artists who endured the rigorous permit process could record at government-run studios. But as Bardetskyi notes, some artists found creative ways to push back against ideological controls, blending Ukrainian folk elements with foreign influences to craft a subversive sound known as “Mustache Funk.” Featured tracks like Kobza's 1971 instrumental “Bunny” mix traditional Ukrainian sounds with progressive rock and jazz-rock, while Vodohrai’s Caribbean-influenced “Remembrance” exemplifies the genre's playful fusion.
The 1970s were a golden era for Ukrainian music, but by the 1980s, Soviet authorities had largely suppressed the vibrant scene. Despite these crackdowns, Ukraine's underground music flourished, particularly as composers and producers began experimenting with electronic music. Vadym Khrapachov’s moody, synthesizer-driven “Dance” from the 1983 film Flights in Dreams and Reality showcases the innovative use of the USSR's sole British EMS Synthi 100. Meanwhile, producer Kyrylo Stetsenko reimagined traditional songs for the disco era, as heard in his hypnotic remix of Tetiana Kocherhina’s “Play, the Violin, Play” and the synth-heavy “Oh, how, how?” by Natalia Gura.
As Ukraine approached independence in the late '80s, Kyiv became a hotbed of musical creativity. Bands like Krok, led by guitarist Volodymyr Khodzytskyi, bridged the gap between pop acts and experimental styles, as heard in their mellow fusion track “Breath of Night Kyiv.” By the late ’80s, Bardetskyi recalls, “Kyiv was buzzing with ideas and musical exchanges, as local musicians rapidly absorbed decades of global influences and transformed them into their own unique sound.” This period of underground innovation—fueled by the rise of DIY recording technologies and electronic instrumentation—laid the groundwork for Ukraine’s diverse musical future.
